US4498240A - Seam-detecting device for interconnected sections of sheet material - Google Patents

Seam-detecting device for interconnected sections of sheet material Download PDF

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Publication number
US4498240A
US4498240A US06/493,918 US49391883A US4498240A US 4498240 A US4498240 A US 4498240A US 49391883 A US49391883 A US 49391883A US 4498240 A US4498240 A US 4498240A
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Prior art keywords
sensors
seam
web
combination defined
conjugate
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US06/493,918
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English (en)
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Alfonsius A. J. Van Dijk
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Johannes Menschner Maschinenfabrik GmbH and Co KG
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Johannes Menschner Maschinenfabrik GmbH and Co KG
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Assigned to JOHANNES MENSCHNER MASHINENFABRIK GMBH & CO., KG. reassignment JOHANNES MENSCHNER MASHINENFABRIK GMBH & CO., KG. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: GAZZARA, PAUL J., PETERPAUL, JOSEPH
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C13/00—Shearing, clipping or cropping surfaces of textile fabrics; Pile cutting; Trimming seamed edges
    • D06C13/02—Arrangements for detecting the presence of a seam in the fabric to lift the shearing blade

Definitions

  • My present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous advancement of a web, essentially consisting of overlappingly interconnected consecutive sections of cloth, paper or other sheet material, through a station in which the web is treated in a manner requiring the recognition of generally transverse seams of greater thickness at the junctions of these sections.
  • the temporary interconnection of sections of sheet material by stitching or pasting, with formation of intervening seams is a widely used expedient designed to facilitate the treatment of separate but identical sheets in a continuous manner.
  • Such treatment may include, for example, the shearing of pile of a velvet-type fabric by a blade that has to be raised on the approach of a seam.
  • a pressure roller used for the satinizing of textiles may also have to be lifted across a seam.
  • the detection of such a seam is likewise of importance when the treatment station comprises a cutter designed to separate consecutive sections after the web has undergone a pattern-forming operation.
  • a system of the general type here considered has been disclosed, for example, in German printed specification No. 1 268 575, published May 22, 1968. There, a plurality of photocells are used to detect a thread impregnated with a fluorescent coloring agent which is incorporated in a fabric being scanned at or in the vicinity of each seam.
  • German printed specification No. 24 28 112 published Sept. 21, 1978, proposes the use of a sensing head energized at high frequency to detect a metallic insert, such as a strip of tin foil, embedded in the fabric.
  • German printed specification No. 1 268 575 particularly discloses four photocells disposed in one row and with equal spacing in order, it is said, to recognize also seams lying at an angle.
  • the photocells control respective relays of which at least two must operate in order to raise a shearing blade with a certain delay depending on the speed of the advancing web.
  • the increased web thickness in the region of overlap could be used to indicate the location of a seam. This would eliminate the need for a special preparation of the web, yet a problem arises from the possibility that a thickness sensor may misinterpret a surface irregularity as an overlap.
  • an object of my present invention is to provide an improved system for the detection of such seams by thickness measurements with avoidance of the problem referred to.
  • Another object of my invention is to provide means in such a system for distinguishing a seam not only from a surface irregularity but also from ribs, welts or similar formations that are part of specific patterns involving variations in the thickness of an advancing web being scanned.
  • a seam detector comprises a support with a flat surface underlying the path of a web with overlappingly interconnected sections, a plurality of thickness sensors fixedly disposed above that support and provided with mobile contactors positioned to engage an upper surface of a section of sheet material passing over the surface, each sensor including a generator of variable voltage depending on the position of its contactor, and a plurality of differentiators that are connected to the sensors for emitting respective output signals in response to a voltage change indicative of an increase in web thickness detected at different locations.
  • the differentiators work into an evaluator which signals the passage of a seam in response to a predetermined combination of output signals thereof, e.g. for the purpose of raising a shearing blade, a pressure roller or some other web-treating implement at the proper time so as to let the seam pass thereunder.
  • Suitable pressure sensors comprise potentiometers having sliders mechanically connected with their contactors.
  • the latter are preferably designed as rollers each journaled at the lower end of a vertical stem rigid with the potentiometer slider. While the roller could also be carried on a swingable arm, such an arrangement would generally introduce a significant step-down ratio between the motions of the roller and of the slider; with the linear connection via a vertically reciprocable stem, the slider rises and falls at the same rate as the roller.
  • Potentiometers available today enable the registration of shifts on the order of 0.05 mm so that seams formed by double plies of even relatively thin paper of fabric can be readily detected.
  • the evaluator includes memory means for the storage of an output signal from one differentiator (emitted in response to a voltage change of an associated thickness sensor) for a predetermined period designed to facilitate the detection of seams deviating from a straight transverse line.
  • a coincidence circuit in the evaluator signals the passage of a seam only in response to a similar output signal from another differentiator during the storage period referred to.
  • Two sensors working into respective differentiators will generally suffice to discriminate between actual seams and surface irregularities; that number, of course, could be increased if desired.
  • These sensors moreover, need not be disposed along a transverse line if their relative offset in the longitudinal direction (i.e. the direction of advancement of the web) is taken into consideration in determining the length of a storage period.
  • two longitudinally offset sensors can be used to prevent the generation of a seam-recognition signal if their contactors are simultaneously raised by elevated web portions forming part of a predetermined pattern.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side-elevational view of part of a seam detector embodying my invention
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view, also somewhat diagrammatic, of the seam detector partly shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are views analogous to FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, of another embodiement
  • FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a processor included in the system of FIG. 3;
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan views of two possible patterns to be distinguished from seams by the detectors of FIGS. 2 and 4, respectively.
  • FIG. 1 shows at 10 part of a frame of a machine for the treating of a web 19 consisting of a number of consecutive sections 21, 22 of sheet material overlapping one another at junctions at which they are temporarily stitched together to form generally transverse seams 23 (only one shown).
  • a holder 11a attached to machine frame 10, indicated only in phantom lines, carries a thickness sensor 12 disposed above a table 18 with a flat, horizontal surface 17 supporting the web 19 which is continuously advanced, by a nonillustrated transporter, in the direction of an arrow 20.
  • Holder 11a along with similar holders 11b and 11c illustrated in FIG. 2, is articulated to frame 10 at a pivot 15 and can be adjusted with reference to that frame, both vertically and horizontally, as indicated by arrows 14 and 16.
  • Sensor 12 like two similar sensors 13 and 13' respectively carried on holders 11b and 11c as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a linear potentiometer 24 with supply leads 25', 25" and an output lead 25, the latter being connected to a slider as illustrated in FIG. 5.
  • the slider is rigid with a vertical stem 26 at whose lower end a roller 27 is journaled, the stem and the roller constituting a vertically movable contactor 28 engaging the upper surface of web 19 above supporting surface 17.
  • Leads 25, 25', 25" extend to a processor 29 which, as schematically indicated in FIG. 3, works into a unit 45 controlling the operation of a treatment station 100 downstream of supporting table 18.
  • sensors 12 and 13 lie on a common transverse line with a separation 30 corresponding to a major part of the width of web 19.
  • Sensor 13' is longitudinally aligned with sensor 13 with a spacing 31 in the direction of web motion 20.
  • the processor 29, as more fully described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 5, also includes logic circuitry for storing a bit representing the voltage change generated by either of the two sensors 12, 13 for a certain period properly correlated with the speed of web 19 in order to allow for a certain inclination of a seam 23 relative to a line perpendicular to the direction of advancement.
  • the web 19 has a pattern of longitudinally equispaced transverse grooves 61 as illustrated in FIG. 6; these grooves could be formed, for example, by a pile trimmer included in the upstream part of the machine shown at 10 in FIG. 1.
  • the trailing edge of each groove upon passing underneath a sensor, gives rise to a voltage change indicative of an increase in web thickness. Since, however, the spacing of these trailing edges equals the distance 31 between sensors 13 and 13', their concurrent voltage changes will cause the processor to disregard the response of sensor 13 so that only the sensor 12 will be considered as having been triggered. Such a single triggering will be insufficient to cause the emission of an operating instruction to the treatment station 100 shown in FIG. 3.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 show a more elaborate array of four sensors 34-37, each of the same character as those described above, which are divided into two conjugate pairs 34, 35 and 36, 37 fixedly (but preferably adjustably) carried on respective holders 32, 33.
  • the sensors of each pair are longitudinally separated by a distance 38 and transversely separated by a distance 39, the two pairs being spaced apart by a distance 46.
  • sensors 34, 35, 36 and 37 lie at the four corners of a parallelogram covering a major part of the width of web 19.
  • FIG. 4 further shows, by way of example, a somewhat irregular seam 40 having points 50, 51, 52 and 53 respectively in line with the contactors of sensors 34, 35, 36 and 37.
  • the sensors of each conjugate pair cancel each other's signals when their contactors are simultaneously elevated by surface formations that are part of a predetermined pattern.
  • sensor 36 With the web again traveling in the direction of arrow 20, i.e. from left to right, sensor 36 will be the first to encounter the seam 40 at the point 52.
  • a signal generated in response to the resulting change in the output voltage of this sensor will generate information temporarily stored in the processor for a period long enough to let sensor 34 detect the point 50 of seam 40.
  • the processor With the downstream sensors 35 and 37 unoperated at this time, the processor will then signal the passage of a seam to the control unit 45.
  • the processor may also include a timer which, in response to the detection of a seam, prevents the emission of another such signal for an interval long enough to let the seam 40 pass unnoticed under sensors 35 and 37
  • FIG. 7 shows an example of a pattern which will be recognized as such by the sensors of FIG. 4 and will not be mistaken for a seam.
  • the pattern includes a number of shallow depressions 62 whose trailing edges again represent an increase in thickness which could simulate a seam. Since, however, the longitudinal offset of the trailing edges of two depressions respectively encountered by conjugate sensors 34, 35 or 36, 37 is equal to their relative offset 38, the simultaneous responses of the two sensors of each conjugate pair will be ineffectual as far as the operation of control unit 45 is concerned.
  • FIG. 5 I have diagrammatically indicated the structure of holders 32 and 33 with their respective sensors 34, 35 and 36, 37, each sensor being a potentiometer with a slider tied to output lead 25 and opposite terminals of a linear resistor connected via positive and negative supply leads 25', 25" to a source of direct current as particularly shown for sensor 34.
  • Sensors 34-37 work into respective analog/digital converters 134-137, each converter pair having outputs connected to a respective differentiator 41, 43. It will be noted that conjugate sensors 34 and 35 are energized with mutually opposite polarities so that a raising of the contactor of sensor 34 will generate a positive-going voltage on lead 25 while a negative-going voltage will appear on the output lead of sensor 35 under similar circumstances.
  • the coincidence circuit 44 responds by sending a command to control unit 45 which thereupon instructs the treatment station 100 (FIG. 3) to carry out a blade-lifting, web-cutting or other operation.
  • the delay required for this operation may be measured by a pulse counter in the control unit 45 or in the coincidence circuit 44.
  • the bit-storing memory of circuit 44 is cleared at the end of the period measured by timer 42 after which this timer may establish a further period deactivating that circuit for the time necessary to let the detected seam clear the downstream sensors as described with reference to FIG. 4.
  • the distances 31 (FIG. 2) and 38, 39, 46 (FIG. 4) should, of course, be adjustable to accommodate different patterns.
  • the number of sensors, or of conjugate sensor pairs, may be increased if greater accuracy in excluding surface irregularities is desired or if more intricate patterns are to be distinguished from a seam.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Controlling Rewinding, Feeding, Winding, Or Abnormalities Of Webs (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices With Unspecified Measuring Means (AREA)
US06/493,918 1982-05-12 1983-05-12 Seam-detecting device for interconnected sections of sheet material Expired - Fee Related US4498240A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3217815 1982-05-12
DE3217815A DE3217815C2 (de) 1982-05-12 1982-05-12 Abtastvorrichtung zur Ermittlung von Warenbahnnähten

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US4498240A true US4498240A (en) 1985-02-12

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EP (1) EP0093865B2 (fr)
DE (2) DE3217815C2 (fr)
ES (1) ES521627A0 (fr)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3705304A1 (de) * 1987-02-19 1988-09-01 Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag Vorrichtung zur messung von auf einer unterlage liegendem papier oder dergleichen
US4836528A (en) * 1986-09-24 1989-06-06 Grapha-Holding Ag Apparatus for manipulating sheet-like commodities in gathering machines
US4879513A (en) * 1987-02-19 1989-11-07 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Device for measuring paper or the like lying on a support
US5243408A (en) * 1991-07-17 1993-09-07 P. H. Glatfelter Company Method and apparatus for detecting web discontinuities
US5356130A (en) * 1992-02-19 1994-10-18 Ferag Ag Method and apparatus for detecting faults in a stream of overlapping products
US5647588A (en) * 1993-10-29 1997-07-15 Ferag Ag Process and device for measuring the thickness of printed products on moving supports
EP1178148A3 (fr) * 2000-08-01 2004-04-28 Giuseppe Caccia Dispositif pour l'application automatique des bandes pour la protection des coutures sur des étoffes en mouvement
US20150273780A1 (en) * 2014-03-26 2015-10-01 Uhlmann Pac-Systeme Gmbh & Co. Kg Device for adapting the control of a system for processing film webs

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4232784C1 (de) * 1992-09-30 1994-05-05 Erhardt & Leimer Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Aufspüren von Metallteilchen
RU2256016C2 (ru) * 2003-06-11 2005-07-10 Ивановская государственная текстильная академия Устройство для управления отделочной машиной

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE924323C (de) * 1953-07-25 1955-02-28 Menschner Textil Johannes Vorrichtung zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht, insbesondere an zu scherenden Gewebebahnen
DE930442C (de) * 1954-05-29 1955-07-18 Menschner Textil Johannes Verfahren zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht, insbesondere an Schermaschinen
US2798912A (en) * 1954-08-16 1957-07-09 Howard C Lindemann Slub detecting and locating apparatus
US3316760A (en) * 1964-11-09 1967-05-02 Teledyne Inc Seam detector
US3363458A (en) * 1966-02-11 1968-01-16 Cutler Hammer Inc Apparatus for detecting surface imperfections on moving webs
DE1268575B (de) * 1963-04-19 1968-05-22 Appalachian Electronic Instr Einrichtung zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht und zur Steuerung der Abhebevorrichtung der Bearbeitungswerkzeuge an Ausruestungsmaschinen
US3553668A (en) * 1965-05-24 1971-01-05 Laszlo Urmenyi Method of and device for detecting surface elevations
US3680215A (en) * 1970-10-30 1972-08-01 Black Clawson Co Continuous thickness measuring apparatus for veneer and other web material
DE2428112A1 (de) * 1974-06-11 1976-01-02 Erhardt & Leimer Kg Nahtwaechter zur ermittlung von warenbahnnaehten
US4408487A (en) * 1979-11-21 1983-10-11 Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha Carton's depressed line height measuring device
US4426785A (en) * 1982-01-04 1984-01-24 Loftus Peter J Method and apparatus for detecting abnormal thickness conditions such as folded and/or missing corners of moving sheets

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1066173B (fr) * 1955-03-25
US3462568A (en) * 1967-07-19 1969-08-19 Deering Milliken Res Corp Seam detector apparatus
FR2238003B1 (fr) * 1973-07-23 1980-04-04 Riggs & Lombard Inc
US4194659A (en) 1977-06-23 1980-03-25 Birch Brothers Southern, Incorporated Seam responsive rolls and method

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE924323C (de) * 1953-07-25 1955-02-28 Menschner Textil Johannes Vorrichtung zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht, insbesondere an zu scherenden Gewebebahnen
DE925884C (de) * 1953-07-25 1955-03-31 Menschner Textil Johannes Verfahren zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht, insbesondere an zu scherenden Gewebebahnen
DE930442C (de) * 1954-05-29 1955-07-18 Menschner Textil Johannes Verfahren zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht, insbesondere an Schermaschinen
US2798912A (en) * 1954-08-16 1957-07-09 Howard C Lindemann Slub detecting and locating apparatus
DE1268575B (de) * 1963-04-19 1968-05-22 Appalachian Electronic Instr Einrichtung zur Ermittlung der Warenverbindungsnaht und zur Steuerung der Abhebevorrichtung der Bearbeitungswerkzeuge an Ausruestungsmaschinen
US3316760A (en) * 1964-11-09 1967-05-02 Teledyne Inc Seam detector
US3553668A (en) * 1965-05-24 1971-01-05 Laszlo Urmenyi Method of and device for detecting surface elevations
US3363458A (en) * 1966-02-11 1968-01-16 Cutler Hammer Inc Apparatus for detecting surface imperfections on moving webs
US3680215A (en) * 1970-10-30 1972-08-01 Black Clawson Co Continuous thickness measuring apparatus for veneer and other web material
DE2428112A1 (de) * 1974-06-11 1976-01-02 Erhardt & Leimer Kg Nahtwaechter zur ermittlung von warenbahnnaehten
US4408487A (en) * 1979-11-21 1983-10-11 Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha Carton's depressed line height measuring device
US4426785A (en) * 1982-01-04 1984-01-24 Loftus Peter J Method and apparatus for detecting abnormal thickness conditions such as folded and/or missing corners of moving sheets

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4836528A (en) * 1986-09-24 1989-06-06 Grapha-Holding Ag Apparatus for manipulating sheet-like commodities in gathering machines
DE3705304A1 (de) * 1987-02-19 1988-09-01 Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag Vorrichtung zur messung von auf einer unterlage liegendem papier oder dergleichen
US4879513A (en) * 1987-02-19 1989-11-07 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Device for measuring paper or the like lying on a support
US5243408A (en) * 1991-07-17 1993-09-07 P. H. Glatfelter Company Method and apparatus for detecting web discontinuities
US5356130A (en) * 1992-02-19 1994-10-18 Ferag Ag Method and apparatus for detecting faults in a stream of overlapping products
US5647588A (en) * 1993-10-29 1997-07-15 Ferag Ag Process and device for measuring the thickness of printed products on moving supports
EP1178148A3 (fr) * 2000-08-01 2004-04-28 Giuseppe Caccia Dispositif pour l'application automatique des bandes pour la protection des coutures sur des étoffes en mouvement
US20150273780A1 (en) * 2014-03-26 2015-10-01 Uhlmann Pac-Systeme Gmbh & Co. Kg Device for adapting the control of a system for processing film webs

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3368701D1 (en) 1987-02-05
DE3217815A1 (de) 1983-11-24
EP0093865A1 (fr) 1983-11-16
EP0093865B2 (fr) 1991-03-13
DE3217815C2 (de) 1985-07-18
ES8402038A1 (es) 1984-01-16
ES521627A0 (es) 1984-01-16
EP0093865B1 (fr) 1986-12-30

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